In 2018, Riga port will continue entering new markets for cargo and passenger attraction

In 2018, the marketing activities of the Freeport of Riga Authority will be focused both on preserving existing markets and active work in new regions, attracting new cargo and passenger flows to the port, In the marketing area, the Freeport of Riga Authority will continue strategic cooperation with port operators, supporting them in attracting cargo and investments, informed BC port’s press service.

Photo: rop.lv

The Marketing Director of the
Freeport of Riga Authority Edgars Suna
(Edgars Sūna) says: “In 2018, we will definitely maintain a strategic focus on
our traditional major target markets: Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan,
Central Asia and China. This year, the Freeport of Riga Authority in
cooperation with JSC Latvijas Dzelzceļš,
the Ministry of Transport and other representatives of the sector will continue
the active work towards Belarus market. There are clear objectives set for the
sector and a good opportunity for the Port of Riga to compete with the port of
Klaipeda for attraction of Belarusian cargo flows.

In the context of geopolitical
developments, in recent years, we have been working purposefully in the
alternative markets for cargo attraction. In 2018, we plan to focus on India
and Iran. In these markets, we promote the Port of Riga as a logistics center
for the distribution of goods in the Baltic States, Scandinavia and the Nordic
countries. Indian entrepreneurs and officials have already shown interest in
the Port of Riga and the opportunities to build a logistics center for the
export of Indian goods to the markets of Northern Europe, Russia and the CIS
countries. New activities are expected due to the cooperation agreement signed
last year between the SJSC Latvijas
dzelzceļš and the Indian Railways.

Iran, in turn, plays an
important role as a transit country for Indian cargo transport to Northern
Europe. Iran, like Latvia, is interested in the development of the North-South
transport corridor between India and Northern Europe. The cooperation
memorandum signed between LDz Loģistika
Ltd and Iran's railway freight logistics company, which provides for the
development of new routes from India and Iran, signed at the end of last year,
also sets new challenges for the Riga port as an important section for this
transport corridor.

As regards passenger
transportation, the target markets of the Freeport of Riga Authority are ferry
and cruise line major operators – Sweden, Germany, Finland, USA, Spain, Italy,
and Norway. In the cruise segment, the emerging markets, which are also in the
interest of the Port of Riga, are Asian countries, especially China, where the
cruise tourism industry has been developing very rapidly in recent years.

EU economy’s future: slow but positive growthGrowth in all EU states will continue in 2019-20, though at a slower pace than before. The largest EU’s economies will grow at around 1,5-1,7%, mostly in Poland, Spain and Holland. The Baltic States’ growth will continue to be on the positive trend.